


lucky number three

by aurora_chiroptera



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alec and Magnus and Lydia's first spouse are all mentioned, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 07:33:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20239090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora_chiroptera/pseuds/aurora_chiroptera
Summary: It all starts with a "sorry my best friend crashed your wedding and ran off with the groom" glass of wine, that turns into a bottle or two...





	lucky number three

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [sh_ficletinstruments](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/sh_ficletinstruments) collection. 

> **Prompt: forbidden**  
No one can ever, ever find out.
> 
> _____________________________________  
I wanted to challenge myself and write in second person. I think it worked!
> 
> Content warning for: some talk of US Army 'don't ask don't tell' in reference to Alec and to Lydia's late spouse, a closeted trans woman.

It all starts with a "sorry my best friend crashed your wedding and ran off with the groom" glass of wine, that turns into a bottle or two, lingering long after everyone has left.

"Course I knew he was gay!" Lydia slurs as you pour something that is hopefully rosé, but is probably red feeling poorly. "I'm gay, it's the whole point." She fiddles with a wedding band that hangs around her neck. "I'm happy for Alec, he should marry for love."

"Like your first... well only marriage," you say, taking a long swallow and not staring at the cleavage the necklace is resting in.

Lydia nods, looking down at the ring, tears on lashes. "My wife. I'm a JAG officer, I made she sure will be remembered correctly." At your look, she explains. "She wasn't out, she was going to transition when her tour ended. But..." Her shoulders sag and she runs her hands through her hair, which has escaped the elaborate braid, like a halo in the setting sun. She stares sadly at her glass and you realize you’re failing in your mission to cheer her up.

“Fuck don’t ask don’t tell,” you say, thinking of this late wife you didn’t know, remembering only today how Alec had pulled at his uniform collar as if he couldn’t breath.

“I’ll drink to that,” Lydia raised her grass and knocks it against your own.

"What're you going to do now?" you ask.

Lydia snorts. "Avoid marriage at all costs? It seems it might be cursed for me."

"Or," you lean forward, lowering your voice. "Third times the charm?"

She laughs at your wink and you feel warm.

"You get to marry for love again."

It's five years later, and you've been sneaking around with her for over half of that. First, you didn't want to rock the friend group. Then, she gets hired as one of the lawyers for the hospital you work at; a conflict of interest. 

The excitement of this forbidden love, the feeling that no one must know, has been wearing off. You love her, you want to tell the world. You're also getting a bit old for hookups in supply closets. 

Holding Magnus' and Alec's little one and meeting her eyes across the room, you can feel the shift happening in you both.

You never expect her to wake you up the next weekend for breakfast in bed. As you pick up the mug of coffee, you see the little box hidden behind it. Looking up, she meets your eyes and smiles. "Third time’s the charm?"

"It better be," you whisper, and you’re moving the tray of food out of the way so you can throw yourself at her.

She kisses you and it tastes like coffee and a future, instead of the first time when it was wine and regrets. You want to give her the world, because when you pull her onto your lap, you're holding yours.

And you never want to let go.


End file.
